The Story of the Man Who Revolutionized the Beauty Industry: MAX FACTOR

Looking for a poolside read for spring break? I am a sucker for a good biography!

NOT JUST A BRAND— THE MAN WHO CREATED AN INDUSTRY

MAX FACTOR The Man Who Changed the Faces of the World By Fred E. Basten

“Fascinating . . . you won’t be able to put it down.” —Glamour

“Enthusiastically told.” —The New Yorker

Max Factor: The Man Who Changed the Faces of the World (Arcade Publishing, April 2012) is the story of a true innovator, paving the way for modern day makeup. He helped women look like their favorite glamorous stars, bringing his innovative cosmetics to the general public. He revolutionized the world of beauty by producing many firsts: false eyelashes, lip gloss, foundation, eye shadow, the eyebrow pencil, concealer, wand-applicator mascara, and water-resistant makeup. He also introduced the concept of color harmony and the celebrity-endorsed cosmetics advertising that forms the glamorous backbone of the modern industry.

Nice women never wore makeup. Even the word was taboo in polite society . . . until Max Factor entered the scene. Born in Poland, in 1877, Factor worked as a beautician for the Russian royal family, the Romanovs. In 1904, he fled to America where he opened a cosmetics store in Los Angeles. Creating makeup for silent films, then talkies, and ultimately, color motion pictures, Factor designed looks for Katharine Hepburn, Rita Hayworth, Bette Davis, and countless other beauties of the day.

Max Factor, the father of modern makeup, changed the beauty industry forever. This is his extraordinary story.